Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Sun high fives Cameron Payne #15 after scoring against the Golden State Warriors during the first half of the NBA game at Footprint Center on October 25, 2022 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns defeated the Warriors 134-105. Christian Petersen/Getty Images/AFP
Devin Booker scored 34 points as the Phoenix Suns overpowered Golden State 134-105 in a hard-fought clash that saw Warriors star Klay Thompson ejected for the first time in his career.
Booker produced another 30-point scoring exhibition for the third straight game as the Suns laid down an early marker against the defending NBA champions.
The 25-year-old Phoenix talisman was also at the center of a third-quarter skirmish with Thompson that led to the Warriors’ future Hall-of-Famer being tossed for the first time in his 651-game career.
Thompson was expelled after he bumped Booker midway through the third quarter to earn a technical before earning a second technical as he unleashed a tirade at the Suns and referee Ed Malloy.
That flashpoint proved decisive, with the Suns exploiting the Warriors’ lack of composure to turn an 83-77 advantage into a 13-point lead at 90-77.
The Suns would eventually outscore the Warriors 33-20 in the third to take a 105-86 lead into the final period.
Golden State rallied to cut the deficit to 12 points midway through the fourth, but Phoenix pulled away once again to seal a deserved victory.
Booker, who has averaged 32 points in four games to start the campaign, said Phoenix was determined to impress against the reigning NBA champions.
Devin Booker balled out in the Phoenix win tonight:
34 PTS
7 AST
3 STL— NBA (@NBA) October 26, 2022
“Those are the defending champs over there,” Booker said. “They have a culture, an environment, they’re holding the crown.
“Every time we match up against them we want to play hard and play competitive.”
Booker made no apologies for his spirited clash with Warriors veteran Thompson.
“I love Klay Thompson, and I have from the beginning, coming up. Right from the draft I said I wanted to be Klay Thompson,” Booker said.
“But that doesn’t excuse us from competing against each other and talking a little mess with each other… big fan of his and his competitive nature, and that’s that.”
Warriors coach Steve Kerr also played down the Booker-Thompson clash.
“They’re both great competitors, both great players,” Kerr said. “This is the NBA — it’s the highest competition in the world. Stuff like that happens.”
Booker was given scoring support from Mikal Bridges with 17 points while Deandre Ayton and Chris Paul added 16 points each.
Stephen Curry led the Warriors scoring with 21 points with Jordan Poole adding 17. Thompson departed with two points after making just 1-of-8 from the field.